Wild Game Pemmican with Fat and Berries
Pemmican is the traditional high-energy food of North American indigenous peoples and polar expeditions – at its core it consists of dried ground meat, rendered fat, and dried berries. Its shelf life is extraordinary: correctly made, pemmican keeps for years in cool storage. The ratio of meat powder to fat should be 1:1 by weight.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Drying the meat
8–12 hoursRemove all fat and sinew from game meat (fat goes rancid and reduces shelf life). Cut into thin 2–3 mm strips, lightly salt. Dehydrate at 70 °C for 8–12 hours until meat is completely hard and bone-brittle. No flexibility should remain.
Grinding the meat
15–20 minutesGrind the fully dehydrated meat to a fine powder in a stand blender, food processor, or mortar. The powder should be as fine as possible – coarse pieces can be processed in the blender in batches. Check powder for residual moisture: it must be completely dry and free-flowing.
Rendering the fat
30–45 minutesSlowly render kidney fat or beef tallow over low heat (approx. 90 °C) until all cracklings are removed. Strain through a fine sieve and allow to cool to about 60 °C – the fat should be liquid but not hot.
Mixing & Shaping
20–30 minutesMix meat powder and warm (approx. 60 °C) liquid fat in a 1:1 ratio by weight. Stir in dried berries. Press mixture into molds or shape into bars. Allow to cool and harden completely. Wrap in wax paper or vacuum seal. Stored cool and dark, shelf life is several months to years.
Pro Tip
The meat must be absolutely bone-hard dried before grinding – any residual moisture will cause mold growth in the finished pemmican. If in doubt, post-dry for an additional 2 hours at 60 °C.
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